WESLEYAN ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

Southland Times, Issue 1639, 27 September 1872, Page 2

WESLEYAN ANNIVERSARY SOIREE.

The annual soiree and congregational meeting of the Inrercargill Wesleyau Church was held on Wednesday evening in the church in Leet-street. The proceedings commenced with a tea- meeting at half-past cix o'clock. Eighteen tables were provided by the ladies of the congregation, on a most elegant and liberal scale. Above three hundred persons sat down to tea. The arrangements were excellent in every respect, and reflected great credit on the ladies and gentlemen connected with the congregation who undertook their supervision. The church was elegantly decorated for the occasion with foliage and flowers, very tastefully arranged. About eight o'clock, the good thingß paying been satisfactorily disposed of, the public meeting commenced. The platform was occupied by the Rev. Mr Rishworth (in the chair), and the Rev. Messrs Isitt, Westbrook, and Stobo. The proceedings were opened by the singing of a hymn, and prayer by the Rev. Mr Stobo. The chairman then addressed the meeting, referring to the favorable circumstances in which the congregation had been able to meet on the occasion, and the success which had attended the anniversary services. He expressed the pleasure he experienced in the presence of ministers of other churches at the meeting, and also of friends from other church choirs who had kindly given their assistance to contribute to the pleasure of the evening. He then called upon the treasurer, Mr Eussell, to read the report, showiug the financial position of the church. Mr Russell then read the report, to the following effect : — On the arrival of the Hey. Mr Rishworth in Invereargill in April, 1870, a mortgage of £250 existed on the properties, and there was also a deficiency upon current expenditure of about £20. At this time the Trustees had taken 10 shares in the local Building Society, and shortly afterwaHs obtained a loan of £250, and paid off the o"d mortgage. The payments to the Building Society have been as follows : — Towards principal, £107 ; towards interest, £29 3s 4<i ; for premium on obtaining the advance, £32 10s ; and entrance fee of £1 5s ; making £169 18s 4 I actually paid in, The profits placed to credit are £21. The Trustees are quite satisfied of the prudence of this methol of paying off the debt, as it has been clearly seen upon careful calculation that we shall save a large sum that would have been lost had we borrowed the money in the ordinary way. Since last anniversary considerable improvements have been made in the properties, the changed appearances of which must ha*© attracted attention. The church and school, as well as the parsonage, have been overhauled and well painted ; the Bchool removed from the North Road, and firmly erected upon this property is now a useful acquisition to the church. New blocks and plates were necessary for this as well as some repairs. A substantial shed for the preservation of church property, and containing a boiler bricked in, has been erected on the north end of this church. The painting, school removal, erection of shed, and repairs to buildings have been effected very cheaply at a cost of £130 11s, and this amount, excepting about £7, has been collected by Mr Rishworth under the name of a special effort. So far this report has reference to the properties, but the church work has involved a considerable expenditure otherwise v namely, for stipend and current expenses, the details of which I have supposed would not be expected in this report. It will not be expected that so much has been paid to the Building Society, so much for improvement of properties and current expenditure, without any deficiency. Wo are glad to report the deficiency at about £55 only, and trust by careful management soon to be clear of this balance, as well as of the Building Society, and thus be enabled to extend our church work. After a performance by the choir, the chairman then called upon the Rev. Mr Westbrook to address the meeting. Mr Wesbbrook expressed the pleasure he felt, as a stranger, in having been invited to attend the meeting. He said he would not enter upon a discourse on Christian charity and unity, as he thought that although these were favorite topics on the platform, it was even better to show their brotherly feelings by their conduct off the platform. The speaker concluded a short address on the influence of music ou the miud, and the manner in which it might be used for the glory of God in public worship, by reminding his bearers of their responsibility in respect of other influences, which they were continually exerting on the minds and eternal destinies of their fellow creatures. After an interval, agreeably occupied by the music performed by the choir, Mr Rishworth said that he would make a few remarks on matters connected with the treasurer's report. One anonymous friend had contributed a ten-pound note to the funds, and while he had not the slightest idea who the donor was, he wished to make this public acknowledgment of his or her liberality. Those members on whom he hud called personally had contributed i

most liberally, and apparently with great cheerfulness. If they could only raise £7 more, they would be able to pay for all the improvements which had been made, and as he had about twenty persons still to call on, he had no doubt that this would be easily obtained, without touching the proceeds of the tea-meeting, which might then be legitimately devoted to some other purpose. More music followed, and the chairman next called upon the Hey. Mr Stobo for an addreos. Mr Stobo, after a few introductory remarks appropriate to the occasion, made Gome observations oja. the subject of Christian co-operation. The field which the Church had to overtake, in carrying out the commands of its Divine Master, was the world. During the 1800 years which had elapsed since the establishment of Christianity, but little of this i vast field had been even entered upon. 1 The population of the world, in round numbers, was estimated at 1200 millions. • Of these there were less than 400 millions even nominally Christian, less than onethird of the whole. Thii included the Church of Rome, and the Greek Church, in both of which the Christian faith had been sadly obscured, though they still possessed a dim li^ht, and from the signs of the times he was hopeful that that light would increase, and that a revival in both those churches was at band. The whole of the Protestant denominations in the world did not amount to more than 107 millions, and this, in the present state of things, might be considered as representing the force practically available for the work to be undertaken. In the view of such a disproportion it was of the utmost importance that the forces should be disposed to the best advantage, and thar could oaly be attained by a systematic and cordial co-operation between the various evangelical denominations. He would desire to see a confederation of all the evangelical chu-cbes in the world for this object, and the co-operation so attained might ultimately end in incorporation. In foreign missions this was specially needed, and the principle was already to some extent acted upon. With respect to ho:ne territory also he thought there should be some agreement of the kind, by which churches should avoid what mi^ht b© termed over* lapping each other, and so causing a waste of power. There was a duty resting on all members of Christian churches to work together for this end. Mere denominational proselytiana was to be avoided ; it brought no gain to the cause of Christ, and the platform on which they ought all to meet was the broad one of their commou Christianity, there to unite their efforts in furthering the cause which they all had at heart. After another interval, during which several concerted pieces were given by the choir, two vocal solos by ladies, and an instrumental performance, the chairman called upon the Rev. Mr Isitt to address the meeting. Mr Isitt delivered a very telling address, illustrating the influence of Christianity on the condition of the world, and the close connection which existed between Christianity and civilisation. The Christian countries of the world were foremost in the march of progress, and the Protestant countries of Europe and America, where the light of Christianity shone most brightly, led the van. On hearing of the vaßt mass of heathenism which still remained to be overtaken, one might at first feel discouraged, but there was in reality no ground for such a feeling. The faith of the Christian worker might rest secure in the knowledge that the power of Q-od was on his side, and that in the end the cause to which he was devoted would prevail He illustrated the work of the Church in the world by referring to the manner in which the city of Jericho was besieged by the Israelites of old. Silently, and in obedieace to the Divine command, they encircled the walls day by day, until at length, at the appointed time, the trumpet sounded, and the walls fell to the ground. So it was with the Churchy To the worldly eye it might seem as if no progress was being made, and at times even the faith of the Christian might tremble, but the Lord had spoken, the trumpet would yet sound, and the walls of heathenism and infidelity be overthrown. They knew not, as yet, whether the walls had been encircled for the first time, or perhaps for nearly the last, but to the eye of faith even now they trembled and tottered, and the end was sure, for the cause was the Lord's. The proceedings were closed by the performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, aud the meeting broke up, after the usual benediction had been pronounced by Mr Rish worth. The following are the principal pieces performed by the choir, which, under the able leadership of Mr Kingsland, contributed most materially to the enjoyment of the evening : — Choruses, " The earth is the Lord's," " Give ear unto my words," " Sing unto God," Solo, by Mr South, "The Sailor Boy's Dream." C^uarfcetres, " I will sing," and '* Thine,. O Lord." Solos, by Misa M'Kellftr, " Consider the Lilies," and by Miss Farrow, " Too late." Chorus, " Hallelujah." Mr Twinning presided at the piano, assisted by Mr South, who, along with Messrs Stevens aud Dickinsonwell known to many of our readers as amateur violinists of great merit — con> tributed some excellent selections of instrumental music